Meet Makenzie Marzluff | Conscious Creative & Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Makenzie Marzluff and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Makenzie, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Taking risks has played a huge part in my life & entrepreneurial career. I feel that it’s impossible to be a creative or entrepreneur without taking risks! Starting any venture in the first place is a risk, but without trying how will you ever know if you’d succeed? For me personally, I have a pretty healthy relationship with what I call ‘doing what scares the shit out of me.’ I have learned to use fear as a guidepost in a way – knowing that if I feel scared to act on an intuitive nudge, it’s probably a sign that I am absolutely meant to do it. Taking leaps of faith is instrumental for any pioneer, innovator, or worldchanger! Inside the discomfort of the unknown is where most growth & transformation unfolds for me. The comfort zone may feel safe, but that’s not where the adventure of life is really lived.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I have 3 businesses that I am totally in love with and wake up every day feeling grateful to be able to serve them.

DELIGHTED BY came through in early 2015 after my personal transformation and healing journey. I knew with DELIGHTED BY, I wanted to do business differently than I had done it before — more from a place of heart and soul versus achievement and striving. I had no idea what I was doing because I had never been in the food industry, but I listened to my intuition step by step and said a lot of prayers. DELIGHTED BY was the first dessert hummus to national shelves, including the nation’s biggest retailers i.e. Wegmans, Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Publix and thousands more. DELIGHTED BY was featured on ABC’s Shark Tank, LIVE With Kelly, Cosmopolitan, Oprah Mag and hundreds of other media outlets. After experiencing the harsh competitive reality of the retail model in the food industry, I decided to switch to an entirely e-commerce model in 2021. This allowed us to bring all of our manufacturing in house, in our very own high vibe facility in Bozeman, MT.

REQUESTbar is a protein bar company made to inspire people to dream again – and to dream bigger. In our own manufacturing facility, we infuse our bars with intentional energies using art, sound, dance and more. REQUESTbar’s mission is to activate courage, boldness and badassery in the hearts of pioneers, visionaries and innovators.

KAKAO Ceremonial Drinking Chocolate is a 501c3 non profit that responsibly sources, manufactures and sells ceremonial-grade cacao across the globe for the purposes of helping people open their hearts, calm their nervous systems, activate their creativity and connect with their higher selves.

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How I overcome the many challenges that present themselves in my business:

1. Connect with something bigger than me – i.e. my heart, the Universe, my intuition/higher self, Creator….I journal and ask for guidance that isn’t limited to my mind/logical side.

2. I surrender and trust no matter what. I always know there is a greater lesson and higher purpose to everything that unfolds, so I am always staying curious and asking to see the challenges from this positive perspective.

3. I ask for help when I need it! I have mentors that help guide me, especially in times of challenge, and I rely on team members and my support system often.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If we are talking about LA here…the entire weekend would be revolved around food 😉 I’d stick in west LA mostly, walk Montana Ave and all through Santa Monica. Hit the beach in Venice, hike Topanga Canyon, drive to Malibu…and eat at:

SAGE Vegan Bistro
Erewhon Market
Gracias Madre
New Deli Venice
Hive Santa Monica for acai, bone broth, coffee and treats
Bowl of Heaven for Acai Bowls
BELCAMPO for an entire plate of grass fed meat

(To name a few)

Plus a float tank sesh at Float Lab Venice (what’s up, Crash!!) and a reformer pilates class at one of the millions of studios or a workout at Equinox.

Let’s not forget the guacamole at Rainbow Acres and ice cream at Salt & Straw….

LA is a VIBE.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
So many people!

The most important part of my journey began with a few key people:

My old roommate Dulce, for recommending me to inner child work/’mirror therapy’ and spiritual books written by Marianne Williamson, Louise Hay, & Gabrielle Bernstein – back during my dark night of the soul in late 2014 and when I was needing hope, healing & support more than ever.

My shaman, Andrew, who held space for me for years throughout my healing journey with the sacred plant medicine, Ayahuasca.

Website: makenziemarzluff.com / delightedby.co / requestbar.com / flykakao.com

Instagram: makenziemarzluff

Image Credits
@caitlingracephoto @nikkijonesmedia